Today's Zaman - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has responded to claims that ongoing efforts to rewrite the Turkish Constitution would undermine secularism and turn Turkey into an Islamic country like Malaysia, saying such arguments are aimed at weakening his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) after his landslide election victory on July 22.

"In the past, they used to say Turkey will become an Iran. Once they understood that this would not work, they began to look for other ways to undermine the AK Party. And now they say Turkey will become a Malaysia," Erdoğan said, after receiving a question at a conference at the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based think tank, on Thursday. He then turned to Richard Holbrooke, who was also addressing the panel, and said laughingly that Holbrooke "had a role in this." Smiling, Holbrooke said he was sorry for his role and added that Turkey is neither an Iran nor a Malaysia.

In remarks following Turkey's July 22 elections, Holbrooke cited Turkey and Malaysia as two examples of "moderate Islam" that the US and Europe wanted to see nourished in the Islamic world. The remarks sparked a heated debate in Turkey over whether the AK Party's resounding victory and the new constitution efforts would put Turkey on an Islamic path akin to that of Malaysia. The debates reached a peak when Şerif Mardin, a respected sociologist, said he could not say for sure that Turkey would not turn into another Malaysia.

Erdoğan said the "moderate Islam" thesis that fed the concerns over Turkey turning into a Malaysia was not credible, repeating his long-held argument that "there is no moderate or immoderate Islam; Islam is Islam."

The prime minister, who is in New York to attend the UN General Assembly, also met with his Malaysian counterpart, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, for 15 minutes. There was no statement from the prime ministers after the meeting, but Badawi, faced with insistent questions from Turkish reporters on whether Turkey would become another Malaysia, was puzzled. In response to questions, he explained his country's economic success and remarked that Malaysia was a modern country when he was questioned on women's rights and the headscarf.

Efforts to rewrite the Constitution are being met with skepticism in Turkey, where critics of the government say some of the proposed changes, such the one that would lift the headscarf ban in universities, are meant to undermine the country's secular system.

Erdoğan said Islam prohibits the imposition of beliefs and whether people practice their beliefs or not. "Those who exercise their beliefs cannot and should not intervene in the way those who do not practice live, and vice versa," Erdoğan said.

He assured that the secularism as defined in the current constitution would be protected in the new constitution. However, the prime minister also said politicians should not be attacked because their wives want to wear a headscarf in line with their beliefs. Erdoğan's wife, Emine, wears a headscarf, as does the wife of President Abdullah Gül, Hayrünnisa. Mrs. Gül has been absent from most official ceremonies to avoid run-ins with military commanders, who see themselves as guardians of the secular republic and avoid receptions hosted by Gül and his wife.

Kavkaz Center, Sep 24 - Disputes over the hijab, traditional Moslem headgear, continue to torment Kyrgyz schools. They inevitably become outright heated with the onset of every school year. This time, however, the ban to wear the hijab at schools will apparently become official (principals ascribe it to the new school charters).

Ferghana.Ru correspondent visited several schools in the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan only to discover that not even teachers there had the charter yet. They say they are still waiting to receive the new charters from the education departments of local administrations.

The Nookat district of the Osh region is not an exception. Every school there has a score of girls who wear the hijab. Teachers want them bareheaded in class and threaten with expulsion for disobedience. more on KC..

Kudus Yolu - Abdul Ghaffar Aziz of the Islamic Group in Pakistan declared that the group approves that all politicians and citizens in exile can return back to Pakistan becaue it is their homeland and no one can deny them the right to return home. Although the Supreme Court issued a ruling allowing Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan , it is actually outlandish to deport him again out of Pakistan . Aziz added in a statement to Ikhwanweb: "That Binazir Bhutto returns to Pakistan is acceptable but this does not mean dropping corruption charges against her just because she sealed a deal with Pervez Musharraf to return to homeland. In one implicated in a crime must stand trial before Pakistani courts so that every one takes his rights and so that all the world knows the limits of the Bhutto-Mosharraf deal". Regarding Bhutto"s statement that she doesn"t plan to deal with Islamists, Abd Al-Ghaffar said " Bhutto"s attitude towards Islamists is well known for years. She tries to woo the US administration adopts the US views and issues statements that she sees as appealing to the US administration. Her attitudes towards Kashmir issue and the US bombardment to tribal regions is clear from the beginning. She wants to prove that she bolder, more sincere, more efficient, and more obedient to US orders in its fight to what Washington calls "terrorists" and any religious one. They are eventually unsuccessful attempts because the U.S. can not succeed in what security forces failed to realize." Regarding the presidential elections, Abd Al-Ghaffar declared that the election commission issued a ruling on Monday canceling a provision banning that state employees from running for elections, a scheme from Mosharraf to enable him to pursue his reelection bid. However, the judiciary is expected to reject this amendment. Such weak attempts to amend the constitution will be useless to him and his aides. Aziz added:"There are opposition parties that agreed on rejected reelecting Mosharraf, threatening with submitting a mass resignation to parliament and leave local governments in two Pakistani provinces. It is well known that election takes place here through the Central Council, the Senate and four provincial councils which elect the president. If two councils resigned, there will be no election. If Misharraf insisted on pursuing his bid, we would take to streets to show the public opinion"s rejection to dictatorship. Also, opposition parties threaten with not participating in any general elections if he is reelected. His only option is to resign from both posts and we know that this will not be easily realized. " Quds Way - (Kudus Yolu) published on Sept 22.

He said they should not only be able to recite the verses in it but must understand well the language used to appreciate their deep meaning.

"If we are able to master the Holy Book, we will gain a tremendous amount of knowledge that will be useful in our lives here and the hereafter," he said at a Quran recital ceremony held at the official residence of Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, here Sunday.

The Prime Minister who came with his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah to attend the ceremony, said the Quran taught that it is important for Muslims to seek knowledge for their own betterment.

He also hoped changes made to school curricula to help Muslims students to master the Quran would hold them in good stead.

Earlier, Abdullah and Jeanne were greeted on arrival at the Sultan Ismail International Airport in Senai by Ghani, his wife Prof Datin Dr Jemilah Ariffin, state executive councillors and Johor Umno leaders.

0 Comments
Published by TasekPauh Blogspot
on Saturday, September 22, 2007 at 2:16 PM.

Islam Hadhari Terengganu mahu memecat seorang lagi imam masjid!

Another imam faces expulsion for role in riotBy R.S.N. MURALI, theStarOnline

KUALA TERENGGANU, Sep 21 - One imam has been sacked and another may face the same outcome if he is found to be directly involved in the Sept 8 riot in Batu Burok here.

State Islam Hadhari Development and Welfare committee chairman Datuk Rosol Wahid said severe action was meted out against the imam from Kampung Kebun Air, Manir, here as his behaviour was unbecoming.

He said the other imam from Kampung Pak Madah, Alor Limbat, Marang, caught on video shouting at Federal Reserve Unit personnel, during the riot, could face similar punishment.

Rosol said he has strong evidence that the imam was involved in the riot.

Rosol said the imam had misbehaved during the riot and, as a religious man, he should not have conducted himself in such a manner.

"We can't be lenient on such cases as their actions are unacceptable.

"They should be the one leading the way but these imams are manifesting negative traits while professing beliefs and opinions that they do not hold," he said. Meanwhile, more people on Friday surrendered to the police to help facilitate the probe into the riot after their pictures appeared in the newspaper.

Police earlier this week said that if the individuals sought in connection with the riot did not surrender by Friday, a manhunt would be launched to track them down.

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 21, 2007 - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi says he is disappointed by the release of a video clip depicting a conversation, allegedly between a lawyer and a judge, on the fixing of judicial appointments.

"I have received a copy of the video from the police along with the transcript of the conversation. I have also viewed the recording.

"Whether whatever transpired is true or not has yet to be confirmed. We have to verify the authenticity of the video," Abdullah told reporters after chairing a Police Commission meeting of which he is in charge of promotions, salary revisions and disciplinary matters in the Internal Security Ministry today.

"This issue is important as it has caused a lot of damage to the country's judiciary system. If the evidence show what transpired in the video was not the truth, action should be taken against those who released the video, as well as all those who lodged ACA reports.

"I am disappointed. The video was released with the aim of getting the people angry with the country's judiciary system," he told a press conference.

Asked whether a special commission would be set up to investigate the case, he said: "There is no need for one."

SUBANG, Sep 21 - The Government will have to first establish the authenticity of the video footage of a senior lawyer brokering the appointment of judges, before deciding on any action, said the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Najib said he personally had not seen the footage.

However, he stressed that it was important to establish the veracity of the footage "before jumping to any conclusion."

"Modern day technology can also be abused and fabricated. So before we conclude anything let us establish whether there is basis or not," Najib told reporters after launching the Malaysia Airlines Engineering Training Center here on Friday.

Asked if an investigation on the matter would be carried out, he said: "We have to establish it first. Then whatever it is, we will decide at the next stage."

To a question, Najib said he had "not formally" spoken to Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim about the matter.

Probed further on whether he had engaged in communication with the Chief Justice, Najib said: "I think you better ask the Chief Justice, in this regard."

On Wednesday, Parti Keadilan Rakyat released a videoclip, purportedly shot in 2002, which it obtained recently of the lawyer talking on the telephone to someone who seemed to be a senior judge about how he (the lawyer) had helped get this judge appointed to one of the top judiciary posts.

According to the telephone conversation, the appointment was done through a prominent businessman and a politician.

The lawyer was heard saying that he was working through the two persons to get the judge elevated even further and get him a “Tan Sri” title. The names of a number of prominent judges were also mentioned in the video.

The prime minister, speaking at a press conference in the capital, also signaled a draft constitution would include phrases removing the ban on wearing the headscarf in universities. "We are talking about freedoms here," Erdoğan said, when he was asked to state his opinion on whether the ban should be lifted. "The headscarf is not a symbol for a political party." He also complained, however, that the entire efforts to rewrite the constitution are being reduced to the headscarf issue.

Earlier in the day, Erdoğan said in remarks published by the Financial Times that the right to higher education cannot be restricted because of what a student wears. "There is no such problem in Western societies, but there is a problem in Turkey and I believe it is the first duty of those in politics to solve this problem," he was quoted as saying.

Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has formed a group of legislators and scholars to write a new constitution that will replace the current one, written during military rule following a coup in 1980. The scholars' draft, which contains alternative proposals to lift the headscarf ban, was reviewed by AK Party officials last weekend, but there was no clarity after the meeting if the AK Party favored keeping the proposals, with reports saying that the final decision was left to Erdoğan.

Members of the opposition have accused the government of trying to put an Islamic stamp on the constitution and erode the secular traditions of the predominantly Muslim nation. At a press conference earlier yesterday, university rectors said the ban cannot be removed and called for a halt to efforts to rewrite the constitution.

Erdoğan responded to rectors, saying they had no right to decide whether the process of rewriting the constitution should continue or be halted. “They should mind their own business,” he said.

Asked to comment on arguments that women not wearing a headscarf would feel under pressure to wear the headscarf if the official ban is lifted, Erdoğan said: “The women should not worry at all. We have been in power for five years. What happened? Was there anything wrong during that period?”

Şerif Mardin, a respected sociologist, said in remarks in a weekend interview that have widely been quoted in the Turkish press since then that the headscarf ban should definitely be lifted, but added that he cannot tell women not to worry about their future.

Erdoğan asserted that the new constitution would extend freedoms. “We are working with a pro-freedom approach. We don’t want Turkey to lose any more time or generations due to fears,” he said. “Criticism on method is unjust and fears on substance [of the constitutional reform] are unfounded.”

The current constitution has often been criticized as being too restrictive and several nongovernmental organizations are known to have prepared alternatives. Erdoğan said the current constitution has already lost its uniformity due to previous amendments that have altered one-third of its text.

Responding to criticism from the staunchly secular opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and others that the reform efforts were not transparent and participatory, Erdoğan said there was no finalized draft opened to debate yet and emphasized that Turkey was only at the beginning stage of a lengthy process of writing a new constitution.

Accordingly, when the draft is finalized, it will be discussed with all political parties and sent to universities, media institutions and nongovernmental organizations for maximum public debate ahead of the text’s presentation to Parliament. It will also be posted on the Internet for public access, he said.

“We are drafting a constitution for Turkey, not for the AK Party,” Erdoğan said, emphasizing that there is a lot of time to debate the new constitution. “There are efforts to kill the work in the initial stage.”

Spiegel Online, Sep 20 - Will the headscarf ban at Turkish universities soon be lifted? Prime Minister Erdogan is taking on one of his countries most contentious issues. In an interview, the prime minister discusses his party's draft for a new constitution and Tehran's role as one of his country's most important energy partners.

Question: Your party, the AKP (Justice and Development), is preparing a new Turkish constitution. Your critics in some circles suspect that you are trying to use this as an opportunity to change Turkey's secular regime.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan: It is strange. Before we formed a government five years ago, all political parties agreed that we needed to create a new, civilian constitution. Our current constitution, as well as the one that preceded it, has no civilian foundations ...

Question: ... it originated under the direction of the military after a putsch ...

Erdogan: We want a constitution that is going to protect a state that is a democratic, secular and social state of law. First it is about individual freedoms. We are putting forward a proposal, a draft, that we will discuss with all parties in parliament, the NGOs and the universities. We will debate it in the widest sense possible before we put it forward to a vote. That is our responsibility -- after all, the constitution is going to point Turkey in a certain direction.

Question: Talking about freedoms, the headscarf ban has been underlined as the most critical issue when it comes to constitutional changes, and there is widespread understanding that that issue is going to be presented for your consideration as prime minister. What is your take on that?

Erdogan: Freedom of religion and conscience is a part of democracy that cannot be neglected. The same applies to the right to obtain an education. I believe that anyone who calls himself a democrat thinks that a person cannot be denied a university education simply because that person wears a headscarf. There is no such problem in Western societies, so why is there one in Turkey? I believe it is the first duty of those in politics to solve this problem.

Question: The draft just presented by a commission of legal experts appointed by you says very clearly that: "Nobody can be refused a higher education on the grounds of their clothing and appearance."

Erdogan: What we have now is just a draft and no decisions have been made about what will be written in the constitution in the end. You also have to understand that it wouldn't be novel in any way in Turkey to go to university with a headscarf. Earlier it used to be possible -- but then, regrettably, the ban started.

Question: You claim you want to strengthen secular and democratic laws. Does that also apply to freedom of opinion, which is especially important to Europe? Brussels is still waiting for you to change the disputed Paragraph 301, which is again and again used to prosecute authors, journalists and academics in court.

Erdogan: We will be able to overcome all this. We are going to finish this in 2008.

Question: Do you feel there are false perceptions in the West of your party when it comes to Islamic references?

Erdogan: It makes me sad when the AKP is described in articles as a religiously based party. People should take a look at our political program and our set of codes and listen to what we are saying. It is rude and unfair against any party that is saying it is not religiously centered as an Islamic Party, and so is trying to pinpoint it in a certain area just by looking at our family lives. Do people who try to be religiously observant in their private lives not have the right to be active in politics? In the West, that is quite accepted, and it is also perceived as something good. There, one can speak openly about being a Christian Democrat. Of course, we have never accepted the name "Muslim Democrats" because that would be exploiting religion. Because our religion is free of errors, but in our political party we may commit mistakes or wrongdoings. That's why we say we are conservative.

Question: There are still reservations about your party in your own country. Take, for example, the attitude of the military towards the new president, Abdullah Gül.

Erdogan: Our relationship with the Turkish people is very good. The only other time in Turkish history that a governing party improved its results in an election (as we succeeded in doing this July) was in 1954. That shows how much belief the people have in us. We are the only party in parliament that has representatives from 80 out of 81 cities.

Question: Does the military recognize that?

Erdogan: I'm not the right person to whom this question should be asked. The army has a role that is clearly written in the constitution and they are acting on that. But the military is not the policy-maker -- that's the job of the Turkish people. And the people have made the decision.

Question: The conflict with your neighbor, Iran, over Tehran's nuclear program is far from having been resolved. Now France's foreign minister is warning of the possibility of war. Are you alarmed?

Erdogan: It would be entirely wrong to start any kind of military operation against Iran if nothing has been proven. The bill for this we know from Iraq. Before we always said people needed to view things differently. And now you see that tens of thousands have died and so much art and so many cities have been destroyed.

Question: So do you trust the Iranian leaders?

Erdogan: So long as the contrary has not been proven, we have to trust them. I, too, am opposed to weapons of mass destruction. But it is unacceptable to say that other countries may possess weapons of mass destruction but not Iran. When I speak with the Iranian leadership, they stress again and again that they only want to use nuclear energy for humanitarian needs. We are also considering nuclear energy and we are in talks with German, French, Canadian and American firms. We need new energies. But if we take more concrete steps, will they label us in the same way?

Question: The United States has criticized your current negotiations with Iran over gas supplies as untimely.

Erdogan: It is not as if our relations with Iran only began recently. We receive natural gas from Iran that is crucial to our economy. Iran is our second biggest supplier on this. Why should I sever (ties with Iran) if nothing really strange or serious has happened? The aim of Turkish foreign policy is to make friends, not enemies.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan answered the questions of SPIEGEL correspondent Annette Grossbongardt in the context of an interview given to SPIEGEL, the New York Times and the Financial Times.

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 20, 2007) - A day after Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) revealed a video clip showing a lawyer discussing judicial appointments with a senior judge, its vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah led a group of 15 members to lodge a report on this with the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) today.

Sivarasa told reporters the party had arranged for an appointment with FT ACA director Acting Senior Commissioner I Abu Zubir Mahfodz @ Hatmon to submit a written report on the eight-minute video recording which showed a prominent lawyer discussing judicial appointments over the telephone with a senior judge, an audio recording lasting less than a minute and a copy of the press release PKR issued at its press conference chaired by party adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.

Anwar did not reveal the source of the video but said it was recorded in 2002 and showed that judicial appointments could be fixed.

"This is a follow-up action by the PKR after the expose yesterday of the video which was recorded in the lawyer’s home in Kelana Jaya," Sivarasa said.

The content of the video, he said, was a telephone conversation between the lawyer and the then Chief Judge of Malaya – the number three position in the judiciary – who was also the acting Court of Appeal president.

"We believe that the content of the conversation involves corruption among senior judges.

"The audio recording exposes the political conspiracy between the lawyer and a top level Umno official to sack Anwar from his position," he said.

Sivarasa added that PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had announced in an earlier press conference that the party would seek an audience with the Conference of Rulers to present them with the material and with Perak’s Sultan Azlan Shah, who was once head of the judiciary.

When contacted later, an ACA spokesman confirmed receiving the report from PKR and said the agency will be investigating the case.

Meanwhile, the senior lawyer could not be reached for comment. A staff in his legal firm said he was abroad and would continue to be away at least until the end of the month.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, who handles the law portfolio, said the case of various parties featured in the video clip and alleged conspiracy in judiciary appointments should go through the proper channel and the relevant authorities such as the police or the ACA.

He said if this was not done, the authorities would only treat the issue as nothing more than a media report.

"There needs to be a proper channel (for the video to be investigated and) for me to call for an explanation," he said, when contacted.

Nazri said he would wait for the ACA to complete its investigations before taking any further action on the matter.

"I would be able to say more … once the investigations are completed," he said.

Meanwhile, the Bar Council has postponed its meeting on the controversial video from today [Friday] to tomorrow [Saturday]. Its vice-president, Ragunath Kesavan, said the meeting would involve all the members of the Bar Council.

"We would be discussing the video in general," he said, when contacted.

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said in a statement he has written to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, calling on him to invoke Article 125 of the Federal Constitution to suspend the judge in question, as well as establish a judicial tribunal to investigate the matter.

Suara Rakyat Malaysia said the revelation would have serious consequences and affect public and international confidence in the judicial system in Malaysia.

Tehran, Sep 17 - Iran's official media on Monday accused France of being more hard line than Americans after the French foreign minister warned of a possible war against Iran.

"The new occupants of the Elysee want to copy the White House," the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) news agency wrote in an editorial, referring to the French presidential palace.

IRNA said that since French President Nicolas Sarkozy promoted closer ties with the United States, "he has taken on an American skin".

Irna also accused France of adopting policies towards Iran that are "more illogical than that of Washington." The comments came after French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the world should brace for a possible war over a nuclear-armed Iran. Gulfnews

He said rioting at public places was incompatible with a peaceful and harmonious country like Malaysia.

"People in this country want to live in peace and reject any form of violence by any group of dissatisfied individuals.

"We don't want to see any group go berserk, riot or create such disturbances.

"Allah also does not want people go on rampage and cause damage on this earth," he added at the handing-over of aid to single mothers and the poor in the Pasir Mas and Rantau Panjang parliamentary constituencies at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kangkong, here.

Abdullah was responding on the rioting incidents in Jalan Sultan Mahmud and Batu Buruk, Terenggnu on Sept 8 involving hundreds of people believed to be supporters of opposition parties.

In the incident in Jalan Sultan Mahmud, the national flag was set ablaze and seven people, including four policemen, were injured following clashes with police after the crowd was told to disperse from the illegal assembly.

Abdullah said the people of this country should be thankful for the prevailing peace and political stability.

"In some other countries, the people continue to suffer due to the violent conflicts while we benefit from our country's peaceful situation.

"In fact, in certain countries, the Muslims cannot carry out their religious obligations with ease due to the tumultuous situations, while Muslims in Malaysia can do so in peace and comfort," he added.

Abdullah and his wife, Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, were greeted by state Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) component party leaders and senior federal government officials at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport in Pengkalan Chepa.

Soon after arrival, the prime minister headed to Pasir Mas to present alms to single mothers and the poor at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kangkong.

From there he will proceed to Tanah Merah to address a leader-with-the-people gathering and break fast at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tanah Merah 1, while Jeanne, in a separate programme, will hand out Hari Raya goodies to disabled children at a supermarket here.

After breaking fast, Abdullah and Jeanne will leave for Machang to perform tarawih prayers at Al-Ubudiah Mosque in Labok before returning to Kuala Lumpur.

This is Abdullah's third visit to Kelantan in less than two months, with the first on Aug 2 and on Aug 17.

0 Comments
Published by TasekPauh Blogspot
on Saturday, September 15, 2007 at 11:42 PM.

nasihat Najib..

Malaysians Lucky To Observe Ramadan In Comfort, Says Najib

PEKAN, Sept 15 (Bernama) - Muslims in this country must count their blessings for being able to observe the fasting month of Ramadan in peace, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He pointed out that there were countries which had gained independence about the same time as Malaysia or earlier, but their people were exposed to various problems and threats.

As such, Malaysians must uphold the country's independence gained 50 years ago for greater progress and prosperity, he said when attending a breaking of the fast with the people of Kampung Batu 8, Lepar here this evening.

He said the government would also continue with efforts to bring further development to the country so that the people could enjoy a better standard of living.

"No one can deny that the government has brought much changes to the country," Najib said.

At the function, which was also attended by Najib's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the Deputy Prime Minister presented food aid to 67 senior citizens and single mothers.

He said that Muslims should cleanse their soul during the month of Ramadan to become a much better person.

0 Comments
Published by TasekPauh Blogspot
on Friday, September 14, 2007 at 12:01 AM.

RM10 mil suit filed against NS camp and Govt over death of trainee

KUALA LUMPUR, Sep 13 - The family of National Service trainee Mohd Rafi Ameer, who had died on Sept 1, has filed a RM10 mil suit against the Cheneh Cemerlang camp commandant and the Government,claiming he had died as a result of consuming food tainted with animal faeces,

His elder sister Jubaidah, 25, said the Kemaman hospital informed her on Aug 31night, just hours before Mohd Rafi died, that he had most probably eaten the contaminated food.

The former clerk is suing the commandant Lt Kdr Mohd Najib Lotpy Mat Nor and the government for negligence, resulting in the death of Mohd Rafi, who is the fourth of six siblings.

According to the statement of claim filed at the High Court registry here Thursday, Mohd Rafi had reported to the Cheneh Cemerlang camp in Kemaman on June 17 but had called home on Aug 24 complaining of fever and not being sent to any medical centre for treatment.

"After a week (Aug 31), he called home again. By then the deceased had complained of fever and swelling in the legs due to a fall during training. He said he had not been sent for treatment and was only given painkillers by the staff in the camp,'' Jubaidah said in the statement of claim.

She added that she then contacted an officer in the camp to find out the exact situation but was scolded. The officer, she said, told her that her brother was well and the camp management would do the necessary if the situation demanded it.

"After that, my brother again called home stating that his condition had deteriorated. His vision had become more blurred by then and everything he saw seemed yellowish.

"He was still not taken for treatment anywhere,'' she said.

Jubaidah said she called up the camp officer again and queried why her brother had been denied medical attention. She said that the officer still maintained that Mohd Rafi was well and did not need any treatment and forbade her from taking the deceased for treatment.

"He called me again after that saying that he was vomiting and in great pain. He pleaded for me to go to him as soon as possible. It was only at 10pm that night (Aug 31) that he was sent to the Kemaman hospital,'' she said.

Jubaidah said her brother managed to contact her at the hospital stating that he was already vomiting blood and had breathing difficulties. The hospital then informed the family that Mohd Rafi's condition was critical and his condition was most probably caused by consumption of animal faeces.

The hospital decided to transfer Mohd Rafi to the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan at 9pm on Sept 1, but he died on the way there.

Jubaidah claims that the defendants were negligent, among others, in not providing a clean and safe environment in the camp.

At the courthouse yesterday, Jubaidah said her brother was reluctant to attend the NS training but was forced to do so.

She hopes that the suit will serve as a lesson to the authorities when handling similar cases in future.

Apart from the RM10mil, Jubaidah is also seeking an additional special damages of RM18,040 in the suit filed through M.K. Othman & Co. theStarOnline

0 Comments
Published by TasekPauh Blogspot
on Thursday, September 13, 2007 at 11:48 PM.

Reward offered for identifying flag burner

KUALA TERENGGANU, Sep 13 - Prize money of RM5,000 and an Umrah package for Muslims is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the person pictured torching Malaysian flag during the riot at Batu Burok, here Saturday.

The State Umno Youth would hand over the money to the informer upon the arrest of the person and the offer of reward is even open to opposition members.

“This is a promise that we will keep. We want the culprit to be nabbed,'' State Umno Youth chief Razali Idris said Thursday.

He said Umno Youth wanted to know the identity of the culprit and the same sentiment is shared by other Barisan Nasional Youth.

"This is not a question of political difference but more a matter of patriotism,'' he said.

A man wearing a helmet was captured in film while torching the flag on Saturday riot. State police chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ayub Yaakob said police were still in the midst of identifying the man and was optimistic that the offender would be apprehended.

SAC Ayub said organisers of ceramah must apply for permits, adding that the police would only issued them if all prerequisites were met.

He said a series of ceramahs were organised without permits previously and police had only asked the organiser of Saturday’s gathering to apply for permission because of to the location of the gathering. mStarOnline

Opposition parties PAS and PKR today urged the police to reveal the identity of the man photographed burning the national flag during the clash in Kuala Terengganu over the weekend.

The photograph, which showed a man wearing a crash helmet, was published by almost all the major dailies.

In a joint press conference in Kuala Lumpur, both PAS and PKR stressed that the police were capable of identifying the culprit.

PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Akin said there were good reasons to suspect that those involved in the incident were agent provocateurs out to tarnish the name of opposition parties.

“We see the pictures in the newspapers and we know, they were taken by the police,” he claimed, adding that there were reports in the Chinese media stating that the police had confiscated the cameras of pressmen during the incident.

KUALA TERENGGANU, Sep 13 - The Imam of a mosque has landed himself in trouble for participating in Saturday night's riot at Batu Burok here.

The Imam, who is in his late 40s, was caught on police's video and was said to have acted violently during the melee.

His name was released by the police on Thursday.

State Islam Hadhari Development and Welfare committee chairman Datuk Rosol Wahid said the Imam could face disciplinary charges and subsequently risk being fired for his involvement in the riot.

"We will not tolerate this ... he should be the one setting a good example, this is sheer hypocrisy," he said.

Meanwhile, State police chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ayub Yaakob said police are in the midst of gathering statements from 22 of the rioters.

A report of its probe will be submitted to Deputy Public Prosecutor.

He said the probe on the riot would be carried out transparently without any prejudice.

"If my men were at fault then they would have to face the consequences," said SAC Ayub, who earlier briefed civil servants at Wisma Darul Iman here on what actually transpired on that day. theStarOnline

KUALA TERENGGANU, Sep 12 - Family members of two men who were inadvertently shot during a riot on Saturday night have lodged police reports over the incident.

The reports were made at 4.15pm and 6.35pm at district police headquarters here on Monday.

State Deputy CID chief Supt Khairi Ahrasa said the reports were made by the siblings of the men who were recuperating at Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah and Universiti Sains Malaysia hospital in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.

He said police would start investigations into the two reports while probes into the riot were being conducted.

One of the injured men is being investigated for attempted murder under the Penal Code, he said.

The riot started when police tried to disperse an illegal gathering of more than 500 people at a gathering organised by Bersih, a coalition of 60 non-governmental organisations pushing for electoral reform.

The gathering was supported by opposition parties PAS, Parti Keadilan Rakyat and DAP.

Seven people were injured and 23 arrested, of whom 19 were later released.

PAS said it would hand a memorandum to Bukit Aman alleging police brutality and the use of live bullets during the riot.

PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa said the party lodged a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) on Monday.

“We plan to take this all the way up to the United Nations Human Right Commission,” he said after the launch of the PAS For All campaign at its office in Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur.

He said the party did not believe that the man photographed wearing a helmet and burning the national flag was a PAS member.

He said PAS would be holding another ceramah at 9.30pm on Sept 14 in Rusila, Terengganu.

Asked if they had a police permit for the gathering, he said: “We do not need one because it is within our own vicinity (compound).” theStarOnline

0 Comments
Published by TasekPauh Blogspot
on Friday, September 07, 2007 at 10:42 PM.

Dewan Rakyat - Shahrir : Port Klang problem far bigger

NST, Sep 7 - A MEETING between the Public Accounts Committee and Port Klang Authority (PKA) officials has raised more questions than answers.

PAC chairman Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said the committee was "unsatisfied" with how the meeting went.

"The problem with the Port Klang Free Zone is far bigger than what the papers have reported," he said yesterday.

"Far too many questions were left unanswered."

When asked whether he was satisfied with the discussion, Shahrir said: "Look at us (the committee members). You can see from our body language that we are not."

The two-hour meeting was meant to allow the PAC to question PKA officials on the RM4.6 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project.

The project first raised eyebrows when PKA bought 405ha in Pulau Indah in 2002 for RM1.088 billion, or RM25 per sq ft, from Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd. The land purchase was followed by RM1.845 billion in costs for the development of the free trade zone.

Last month, the Transport Ministry said the government had agreed to extend a loan of an unspecified amount to the heavily-indebted PKA to help cover the total cost which had ballooned to RM4.6 billion, including interest and other charges.

Shahrir referred to the auditor-general’s report on PKA for the 2005 financial year, showing PKA’s liquid assets to be inadequate in financing its capital obligations.

"According to the report, PKA’s liquidity as of December 2005 was RM231.75 million, while the tax surplus was RM26.63 million, so PKA would need additional financing to meet its capital obligations of RM4.11 billion."

Those present at the meeting included PKA general manager Datin Paduka O.C. Phang and Transport Ministry secretary-general Datuk Zakaria Bahari.